Public Enemy Number One

Well, for me, anyway. After suffering through a year of unbearably itchy skin, I was diagnosed with a condition associated with Celiac disease. The only true treatment is a strict adherence to a gluten-free diet. This came as a shock to me, and to my family, who has deep roots in the culinary arts. Indeed, my mom is a fantastic baker, and the thought of never being able to eat her bread/cakes/pies/pasta again was not a happy discovery. I have been gluten-free, or GF, for about 3 months now, and I’m happy to report that my intensely itchy condition has gone away! The trade-off is that I can no longer eat pizza, beer or a lot of the other staples of an American diet. I’ve been adapting slowly, and I think Portland is a great place to live if you need to adhere to a specialty diet. I’ve found some great GF eateries, and blogs that provide good resources. The tradeoff is that I’m probably going to remain skinny, and I now have more excuses to drink a stiff martini. 😉